"Storm day" - and it looks like 'Plan A modified' might work

Not a snow day (yet), but today is definitely a "storm day". Winds are gusting at about 40 mph, and I am just happy that we still have electricity. In our neck of the woods it's very likely that a tree falls on a power line, and whoosh, no more power. The boys are having a "storm day" (day off school). We had a lesson with Lisa scheduled, but in winds like this Chambord is guaranteed to perform "airs above the ground". No use risking life and limb, it's Chambord's quirk, we now it and so we adjust to it. He's much better outdoors, but no way are we going on the trails and risk having a tree fall on us.

So, for me it's paperwork day, catching up with client correspondence and session summaries. Also designed and ordered our Christmas cards. Yes, it would be easier and cheaper to a) not send anything, b) do it electronically, or c) buy off the shelf cards. I have fun designing them, and our friends and families are happy to receive them. When I visited friends of my parents in Germany last week I saw they had our last year's Christmas card still displayed. Made me happy.

Regarding the winter training plans JP and I went back and forth discussing the best option. Michael and Remy (my nephew) offered to handle Mutti's move alone, but Michael has a full-time job, and Remy is a busy university student with a job, so it would be unfair to leave it all to them. And quite frankly, while two are working the third one has to keep Mutti from jumping off a cliff.

So, JP suggested we go with 'Plan A modified': Remy (the four-legged one) and I travel to FL, and then I fly from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami to Stuttgart and stay for about a week clearing out the house and buying new furniture for the apartment. Roz said she'd be delighted to work Remy, and I can arrange for his care during my absence. I was joking with Michael that all I have to do now is robbing a bank -- but being a law abiding citizen I'll resort to cleaning out JPs retirement account instead ;-)

Back home - and working on Plan B

Home from a stressful but very productive trip to Germany. Accomplished a lot: Found senior apartment for Mutti that is pretty much perfect: Large, bright and airy, 10 min. from her house, next to a park, in the city center, and affordable. My friend Stephanie said it's like winning the lottery. My parent's house is on the market, and there are already three serious buyers interested. If all goes well the house sells and Mutti moves into her apartment. However... before that happens a lot of other things need to be taken care of - Sorry, Michael! (that's my brother who is stuck with the paperwork).

So while all that is good news, the bad news is that the apartment rental needs to be effective February 1st at the latest. So that means moving sometime in February, and cleaning out the "museum" (aka my parent's house). It is filled with hunting trophies, art, etc. Mutti only wants to take one piece of furniture, so we also have to buy furniture for the new place.

Why is that bad news? Well, that puts a serious bump in my plans for Florida. Bump as in "trading Welly-Land for Leonberg". Aside from the fact that stall and room are non-refundable, Remy has been going super lately and I really want to continue to 'ride the wave'.

Today was our last lesson for the year with Roz (snief) - and we finished on a very good note. His collection is getting better and better, feeling effortless. Roz reminded me to work on "less is more" when we are on our own.

So, if Welly-Land indeed doesn't pan out, we've got a Plan B: Jumping with Lisa (and JP and Chambord, of course), Dressage clinics with Laurie, trail riding, and whatever else we can find to beat the winter blues. Luckily, the indoor at Berwyck is heated, and as it's only a bit over a mile from home its a very good solution. Roz might even come back to the Frozen Tundra (aka Michigan) for a clinic. I'll also check into a remote coaching system that works with WiFi. And Remy will enjoy vacation while I'm in Germany, that's the part of Plan B he prefers.

With all the action around house and apartment I still was able to go with my friends Stephanie and Ingrid to the Stuttgart German Masters, and we had a grand time. You can google it to see excerpts. And speaking of apartment: I was super spoiled and had my very own luxury apartment during my stay in Stephanie and Harald's house. It was living like  "Eine Made im Speck" (lit. "a maggot in bacon") = to live in luxury.

How very fitting!

Endspurt - rushing in almost all areas, except for one

Ah, here I go again, rushing to get everything squared away before leaving for Germany on Sunday. I've been contemplating applying for the Morgan Dressage Scholarship, as it would be really helping with training costs this winter. Of course, I need to submit it tomorrow (!) and I lack a) show record, b) good photos, c) good video clips. So not sure how I could pull this off.
At the 11th hour we are trying to get some video clips, and Chapin and JP have volunteered, but the indoor is dark, and somehow I would need to "cut and paste" which I don't know how to do. And I don't have any good -clear- photos either. One more try today, just as temps are in the 20s...

On the travel side I might have to fly without clothes - as I'm 'paying' Stephanie for the apartment in "Moose Munch Currency" I have about 6 kg of Moose Munch stuff assembled. Michael, my brother,  had bought a bunch of vintage vinyl records in the US and Canada and they are now to be hand-carried to Germany by yours truly.  Add to that some other small gifts and the suitcase is at the allowed weight limit.

In addition, there is a laundry list of other things to do, and I have client appointments this afternoon where the travel time alone is three hours. Never a dull moment.

While I can sprint like I'm on a perpetual 100m run, one area I don't rush is with the horses:

"As time goes on, all the little things will fall into line. We should be adjusting to fit the horse. Fix it up and let it work. You can't make it happen, and you can't put your time limit on it. You can just set it up to enable him to learn. Sometimes the slower you go, the faster your learn." - Ray Hunt

Our Halloween: No tricks, only treats - and that would be a great costume

Remy decided to skip the tricks and give me treats on Halloween - and I didn't even have to wear a costume! It was one of the magic rides (OK, sounds corny but bear with me) when things fall into place, it's effortless, and you can feel the self-carriage, and collection. We even had half-steps. All this in his snaffle. The prep had a lot to do with it: After he had warmed up on the longe line, Roz suggested to use side reins for a few minutes, to give Remy the feel of what we were after. It did the.. dare I say it?..trick.

I was so excited I texted my friend Andra about it. Only a -dressage- horseperson understands the high one gets when you have these elusive moments of connection with your horse and you feel almost like a Centauress. BTW, that would be a great costume!

Centauress, painting by John La Farge, Brooklyn Museum

Remy is not a dressage prodigy - and neither am I. So we have to work for it, and Remy does make sure that I work for it, preferably harder than he does!

The clock is ticking regarding my lessons with Roz, only one more week left before I head to Germany. By the time I come home we have two lesson days left and then Roz is heading South. Remy and I will be joining JP and Chambord in their Lisa-lessons; between the four of us one should be able to remember her courses :-)

Follow up to the previous blog: View this morning - 

A view only Paulette (in Florida) could love!